British Fencing is planning a two-year pilot ratings scheme for men's and women's foil running from 2023 to 2025. The aim of the scheme is to provide incentives for fencers to compete more often and progress their ratings over time. The scheme is modelled on a similar programme which has been highly successful for a number of decades in America. If the men’s and women's foil scheme is successful, the plan is to replicate it for the other weapons. The rating system will run in parallel to the existing ranking systems. There is no intention of replacing the ranking system.

The pilot will be for fencers aged 13 and over who can earn grades ranging from A (the top rating) to B, C, D and E, with U being unclassified. This provides a clear progression path for fencers. It also provides an opportunity for competition organisers to put on competitions aimed at different levels. In the US, competitions are typically C and above, D and E, and U. There is no obligation for event organisers to use these bands, but they do work in America, and allow for organisers to offer competitions for more fencers, with fewer referees and pistes - the various competitions being staggered through the day. In addition, competition organisers have the option of using the ratings to seed their event.

The rating includes a year, which indicates when a fencer earned or “re-earned” that rating. For example, a rating of A 2023 would mean the fencer had earned the highest letter rating in the current year. An E 2022 would mean a fencer had earned an E rating in 2022. The year is important, because competition organisers can use the rating to seed their competitions and a fencer with an A 2023 rating would be seeded above an A 2022 rating. The rating is valid for four years and then downgraded one level.

To launch the scheme, we will be making a couple of exceptional adjustments:
1. A number of top athletes have not competed domestically and so would have a U rating, which doesn’t make much sense. Accordingly, in men's foil, any member with more than 50,000 points will automatically earn an A. For women's foil, any member with more than 30,000 points will automatically earn an A.
2. Given that initially we do not have many A-rated fencers, high NIF events will automatically receive A4 ratings, the highest rating for an event. Accordingly, in men's foil any event with a NIF over 260 or more than 80 participants will receive an A4 rating. For women's, any event with a NIF over 240 or more than 60 participants will receive an A4 rating.
3. We will not include International, Commonwealth, or Public School events. They may appear for a short time and will be removed with all rankings restated.
4. When a fencer achieves a new higher ranking, they can still compete at the lower ranking for the lower ranking's calendar year. As example, a fencer achieves a C rating in 2024. They can compete in those events that require a C or a D in 2024 (a D, E, U event as example). In 2025, they will not be able to compete in D, E, U events.